What if David Brent Became a Vampire: What We Do in the Shadows Trailer

Decent vampire movies are making a serious comeback after nearly being staked right through the heart by the bloody Twilight franchise. First up this year there was Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive, then I got to see a little gem at the London Film Festival called A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night and then tonight I get to see mock-documentary What We Do in the Shadows.

It just goes to show that even after the moping, preening, sparkling vampires of that unholy tween franchise, films featuring bloodsuckers will really never die. This horror sub-genre is as immortal as ever and enjoying a witty and original renaissance.

What We Do in the Shadows is from the guys who brought us Flight of the Conchords and Eagle Vs Shark so expect much hilarity to ensue. The trailer looks brilliant, with its last line being a particularly funny look at what I imagine David Brent from The Office would be like if he joined the legions of the undead.

Check out the trailer below:

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The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1 Marketing and Review

Before I get stuck into the marketing, please check out my review of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 at Starburst Magazine now.

The marketing campaign for the penultimate entry in the Hunger Games franchise has seen a wonderful mix of traditional and more modern methods of spreading the word about the film. While waiting for Mockingjay Part 1 to be released, Hunger Games fans have been torn between propaganda messages from the Capitol and interrupting broadcasts beamed directly from District 13. 

Lionsgate opted for an immersive series of poster and viral videos that will inspire audiences to start picking sides and ensuring followers will feel like joining the revolution (and by that I just mean go and see the film). First came a series of disturbing and chilling posters from the Capitol, displaying and 'celebrating' the hard work, perseverance and crucially the sacrifice of ordinary people from the districts.

Next came a formal address from President Snow in which a brainwashed, docile Peeta stared blankly by his side. The Capitol’s television is going into propaganda overdrive in order to win back the servitude of the districts. Panem forever baby!

 

Then came Snow’s second address to the people of Panem. As Snow delivered his message to the divided nation, the screen distorted and the Capitol’s pristine vision was interrupted as Jeffrey Wright’s Beetee hacked his way onto the Capitol TV feed. His stark warning to the Capitol of Panem and fans of the Hunger Games franchise? The Mockingjay lives. 

Sooner or later the marketing had to get sensible and traditional again. So then we got the trailers actaully delivering some snippets from the movie. Of course we got the obligatory teaser:

And then finally the real deal:

Now the movie is almost here and I was lucky enough to attend a screening for Starburst Magazine so here is my review of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1.

If you subscribe to or pick up a copy of the latest issue of Starburst Magazine, you can read my full preview of the film. 

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The Many Methods of Movie Marketing: Part 1 Posters and Trailers

The Many Methods of Movie Marketing: Part 2 TV, Radio, Internet 

The Many Methods of Movie Marketing: Part 3 Merchandise
The Many Methods of Movie Marketing: Part 4 Premieres
The Many Methods of Movie Marketing: Part 5 Press Junkets and Preview Screenings
The Many Methods of Movie Marketing: Part 6 Film Festivals

Rejected Star Wars Episode VII Titles

OK here goes. I just got access to the massive brainstorming session that J.J. Abrams and his team had for titling Star Wars Episode VII. I took a secret photo of the giant poster they all scribbled their ideas down on*. So here it is: I present to you the full list of titles they rejected before settling on The Force Awakens.

Star Wars Episode VII: The Sith Snoozes
Star Wars Episode VII: Shit, The Force's Alarm Didn't Go Off
Star Wars Episode VII: The Jedi Rouses
Star Wars Episode VII: The Empire Strikes Back... Again
Star Wars Episode VII: A Increasingly Modern Hope
Star Wars Episode VII: Some Kind of Menace
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Stiffens
Star Wars Episode VII: Morning Glory
Star Wars Episode VII: Dawn of the Force
Star Wars Episode VII: Another Return of the Jedi
Star Wars Episode VII: An Even Newer Hope
Star Wars Episode VII: Age of the Force
Star Wars Episode VII: Light-speed and Furious
Star Wars Episode VII: A Song of Jedis and Siths
Star Wars Episode VII: The Empire Attacks the Block
Star Wars Episode VII: 12 Years A Sith
Star Wars Episode VII: Valar Morgulis
Star Wars Episode VII: Game of Planets
Star Wars Episode VII: Into Darkness
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Breaks Bad
Star Wars Episode VII: Return of the Geriatrics
Star Wars Episode VII: Rise of the Trade Embargoes
Star Wars Episode VII: The Dark Side Rises

Personally I really hope they actually do go with that last one for Episode IX. What it lacks in originality, it makes up with by sounding badass!

Any other suggestions? I'll pass them on to my contact at Disney!
And for that matter, whose got any ideas for the sequels?

*This is not true

Star Wars Episode VII Title Confirmed: The Force Awakens

As principal photography wraps on Star Wars Episode VII, it has just been confirmed that the new film in the franchise will be known as The Force Awakens. No matter what kind of shit-fit the internet throws, I think it's a decent title.

Yes people will wonder if the next ones will be Star Wars Episode VIII: The Force Scratches it's Balls and Hits the Snooze Button and Episode IX: The Force Realises That Today Will Be the Same as Every Other Miserable Day, Pulls Up the Duvet and Sheds a Little Tear Before Rocking Itself Back to Sleep (or something along those lines) but The Force Awakens is still an exciting title full of promise!

What I would have love to have seen is the mind map/brain storm session that led to this title being chosen. Wouldn't it be great to know all the other possible titles they considered before this one. If The Force Awakens has got people giggling on Twitter, imagine how many snickers there would have been over The Force Arises or The Force Stiffens (ok maybe that last one was never on the cards).

Anyway seeing as I've never been even close to one of the biggest Star Wars fans in the world, just like I'd never seen a single Star Trek film before J.J. Abrams came along, I'm now pretty excited to see what he does with the franchise, especially with the principals from the original trilogy returning as well as new faves like John Boyega and Andy Serkis in the cast.

What do you think of the title? Has it awoken your senses?

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El Nino Review from London Film Festival

In the Gibraltar Straits, three young men who are determined to make some quick cash build a drug dealing business by shuttling their cargo over the 10 mile gap between Morocco and Europe. Obsessive cop Jesus is on their tail and while constantly closing in on El Nino, El Compi and Halil, he is also out to catch some bigger fish in the sea of narcotic supply. A well dressed man known only as the Englishman has been evading Jesus’ capture for years, but the detective suspects there is a police informer who needs to be rooted out before they can get their man.

Daniel Monzon’s follow up to Cell 211 is another big concept, this time pulled off with a much bigger budget but many of the same creative team. A hit on his home turf, El Nino should cement Monzon’s reputation as the primary purveyor of Spanish blockbusters. The film looks a million dollars from its incredible vistas of the bustling ports and container yards of the straits to the thrilling boat and car chases. 

Despite all the big, noisy fun of the high octane action sequences though, El Nino is still a pretty complex tale of greed, corruption and the dangers of having dealings with dealers. There are a few too many clichés with one soft focus love scene being a particularly low point of the film but the strong performances help carry it through to a thrilling action packed climax.

It's got a very attractive young cast who are all sadly overshadowed by Luis Tosar's incredible eyebrows but El Nino supplies a decent dose of action, love, drama and suspense while meandering unnecessarily on its way to eventually ending on a high.

Here is the trailer:

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Chappie Trailer Shows off Neil Blomkamp's Short Circuit Reboot?

Waaaaaaiiiiiiiittt a minute, come back it's not really a Short Circuit reboot! But it does have a robot who looks a bit like Johnny Five and he is most definitely alive! He may not have a wonderful Wall-eeeeeeeeeee catchphrase but he definitely looks like he'll be tugging at the heart strings no less than any other little robotic critter on the big screen.

Chappie is going to be Neil Blomkamp's chance to bounce back after the relatively (compared to District 9) disappointing Elysium. He's also sort of going back to his roots as this is based on Blomkamp's own short Tetra Vaal which is brilliant and I have also embedded below. It's set in South Africa again, features Sharlto Copley doing voice (and a bit of mo-cap) for the robot and also has big Hollywood stars Hugh Jackman and Sigourney Weaver to help with the international market!

Knowing Blomkamp, this is bound to have plenty of subtext going for it but even without that, this story of a robot outcast looks like it will be axction packed and emotional!

Check out the trailer below:



Tetra Vaal



You likey?

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James Bond is the Job Seeker

Love a bit of Cassette Boy. Not sure how I'd missed this one but it's well worth a look. Cassette Boy cuts up bits of audio/visual material and makes them into his own brand of silly, often satirical humour. He's hit Harry Potter, Nick Griffin and Jeremy Clarkson in the past and with this video he takes on the modern Bond film.

Hit by budget cuts, it seems Danial Craig is going from posh spy to down and out wino in the new Bond films. He's a brand new hero for our recession hit times:

Minions Trailer Guarantees Toy Sales

Little yellow bastards. The Minions from Despicable Me 1 and 2 have taken the world by storm so it was inevitable they would be given their very own spin-off film. They spout gibberish, they look cute and they are about to become the biggest selling toy at Christmas no doubt and that will be at least six months before this film even comes out.

I'm sorry but I'm fairly unmoved by the Minions. Much of the trailer seems to brush through a quick history of the minions from dinosaur days to almost present day New York. They are always looking for their very own despicable master to serve which has taken them through T-Rex to Dracula and will eventually lead them to Gru.

Despite my lack of love for the minions, it all looks pretty funny in an oh-so-cute and charming way. More importantly, Michael Keaton, Jon Hamm, Sandra Bullock and Steve Coogan have all signed on for quick and easy pay cheques so here's hoping there is something more for the cynical old farts like me.

Here's the trailer:



Are you sold?

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Interstellar Trailer and Review

Last week, I got invited to attend a special early screening of Interstellar for the wonderful folk at Starburst Magazine. I've been a big, big fan of Christopher Nolan since Memento but for some reason I wasn't overly excited about Interstellar.

With that in mind, my expectations were sensible for the film (which is always a good place to start) so I really enjoyed it. Here is my review of Interstellar for Starburst Magazine. It's a hard film to talk about without spoiling some of its secrets but I have not given anything away in my review. In fact I've given a lot less away than many other reviews I've seen!

It's out on Friday and with the name Christopher Nolan and the face of Matthew McConaughey attached, I have no doubt that Interstellar will be absolutely massive at the box office. Here is the trailer:



Here's a featurette on building a Black Hole for the movie:



And just one more trailer for fun:



Would love to hear your thoughts on the movie!

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Jim Carrey vs Matthew McConaughey

First of all: what in the name of the good Lord is Matthew McConaughey doing in a car commercial so soon after winning an Oscar? I know Halle Berry did Catwoman and Charlize Theron did Aeon Flux right after snagging Academy Awards but this is surely some kind of new low isn't it?

Secondly, Jim Carrey sadly just keeps getting older. I wish this could stop. He got famous too late in life and I feel like we're owed more years of him in his prime. But hey at least he's still got his funny bones sometimes.

So here he is taking the piss out of the car commercial the McDaddy has done for Lincoln cars. 'Sometimes you got to go back to actually move forward' MM says in the commercial. Well Jim Carrey has gone back to SNL for this little skit and it's pretty funny. Check out the real commercial and then the parody below:

The real deal:



Jim Carrey's version:



Did it make you LOL so much you ended up ROTFL?

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